Royal Caribbean Blog

Good news for Royal Caribbean guests who have recovered from Covid-19. The cruise line has updated its health protocols for sailings from March 11, 2022, onward to better accommodate them.

In an email to guests and travel agents yesterday, Royal Caribbean issued new health protocols that apply to all cruises sailing from the U.S., with the exception of Puerto Rico.

Guests sailing out of these ports will now have the option to submit a Certificate of Recovery if they have had Covid-19 at least 11 days before sailing, however, some restrictions do apply.

Here's a look at the latest protocols.

Certificate of Recovery

As part of updated testing requirements, Royal Caribbean has added new guidelines for those guests who have previously contracted Covid 19.

For sailings from the United States (except Puerto Rico), on or after March 11, 2022, a Certificate of Recovery will be accepted for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding, but no more than 90 days ago.

This would take the place of a pre-cruise negative Covid-19 test result required to board the ship. Guests will need to provide the following documents:  

1. A certified medical health certificate from a doctor stating that the guest has fully recovered from Covid-19, and must adhere to the following requirements:
   • Official letterhead from a healthcare provider, public health official or telehealth provider showing:
     • Their name
     • Their address
     • Their phone number
     • Confirmation of your recovery and completion of isolation 
   • Must be typed (not handwritten) and signed by the provider
   • Must confirm the sample collection date of the positive PCR test, which must be a minimum of 11 days and a maximum of 90 days before the departure date of your cruise
   • Date of validity must extend throughout the duration of your cruise
2. A positive result document for a COVID-19 PCR test taken a minimum of 11 days and a maximum of 90 days before the departure date of your cruise. An antigen test result will not be accepted with a Certificate of Recovery.  Also:
   • The test results document from your test provider must include the name of the lab that processed the test, the lab’s CLIA Lab Number or Certification Number, the address of the lab, your name, the date the test was taken, type of test, and your positive result.
   • This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification. Fully handwritten doctor’s notes (such as those written on a prescription pad) will not be accepted. Minimal handwritten components (such as a check mark on a “positive” box) are acceptable as long as the other required information is printed on the document.

Restrictions and Limitations

Royal Caribbean is careful to note that a Certificate of Recovery will not be accepted in lieu of a vaccination record card for guests of vaccine eligible age. All Royal Caribbean guests aged 12 and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing

Although Royal Caribbean will accept a Certificate of Recover that meets all of the noted requirements, many countries are not currently accepting them. In these ports, guests who provided certificates would not be allowed to disembark.

. These ports include:

• Curacao
• St. Kitts
• Panama
• Panama Canal
• Jamaica
• Bonaire
• Belize
• St. Lucia
• Guatemala
• Colombia
• Trinidad & Tobago
• St. Vincent
• the Grenadines
• Grenada
• Haiti
• Cayman Islands
• Bermuda

International use of Certificate of Recovery

As reported in September of 2021, Royal Caribbean had previously allowed guests who had recovered from Covid-19, to submit recovery letters for departures outside of the United States.

At that time, guests were required to produce a certificate that verified that either the guest was diagnosed with Covid-19 within the 90 days prior to their sail date or that they were sailing before the end date noted on the Certificate of Recovery.

New protocols for Mediterranean sailings for spring and summer 2022 have yet to be released. 

Existing Guidelines and Protocols

The update from Royal Caribbean does not note any other significant changes to protocols for U.S. Sailings. The main requirements:

Vaccination requirements

The same vaccine requirements remain in place. They are:

• All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing.
• Children aged 5 to 11 are not required to be vaccinated, however, as they are eligible, Royal Caribbean recommends they receive their vaccine before sailing.
• Children with one dose of a vaccine do not count as fully vaccinated for the purpose of sailing. 

Although not currently required by Royal Caribbean the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended Covid-19 vaccine booster doses for those eligible, prior to cruise travel.

Royal Caribbean, "strongly recommends" guests get boosted before their cruise.

Pre-cruise testing

Other existing Covid-19 testing rules remain unchanged:

Cruises from U.S. homeports (except Puerto Rico)

• Pre-Cruise: All guests 2 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result.
  • Vaccinated guests ages 12 years and over must take a PCR or antigen test no more than 2 days prior to sailing.
  • Unvaccinated children ages 2 to 11 years must take a PCR test no more than 3 days prior to sailing. A test may not be taken on boarding day.
  • Antigen tests are not accepted for unvaccinated guests.
  • There is no testing required for guests under age 2.
  • Pre-cruise testing costs and scheduling are the guest's responsibility.  

Embarkation Day: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test for Covid-19 during check-in. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

Onboard: For sailings that are 5 nights or longer, unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test prior to debarkation. Sailings longer than 10 nights may have additional onboard testing requirements. Registration details will be provided onboard.

Face masks

Masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests. 

Unvaccinated children should expect to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowded settings.

Masks are required for all children aged 2 and older while at the Adventure Ocean youth program. Guests under 2 do not have to wear a mask at any time. Royal Caribbean asks that guests make a reservation before bringing their child to Adventure Ocean

Dining and other venues

Royal Caribbean no longer has designated vaccinated zones for eating and other onboard venues such as the theatre, spa and gym.  

Royal Caribbean recommends making reservations for dining before the cruise or via the app while onboard.

The cruise line has already discontinued the use of bracelets to identify vaccinated guests in venues.

Shore excursions

Families traveling with unvaccinated kids are required to purchase a tour through Royal Caribbean to go ashore with the exception of private destinations such as  Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.

Some ports require all guests, regardless of vaccination status, to purchase tours through Royal Caribbean. These tours follow Royal Caribbean’s health guidance and are available at a variety of prices. 

As noted previously, guests who have submitted a Certificate of Recovery in lieu of a pre-departure negative Covid-19 test may not be eligible to disembark in some ports.

Today was a busy day spent in Nassau on Wonder of the Seas, filled with celebrations, entertainment, and great food.

Photo by @AdamsAway

I started the morning with a workout at the rock climbing wall. If you go to the rock climbing wall (or any other signature activity) right when it opens, you’ll find very few people there, meaning you can try the activity over and over again.

We were sailing into Nassau as my workout ended. Each time I sail into Nassau, I am intrigued by the strip of land on Paradise Island where Royal Caribbean will build the Nassau Beach Club. I think this area will really enhance Nassau as a cruise destination for both guests who are visiting for the first time and those who sail to Nassau frequently.

Today we had a full day of activities planned in the Bahamas. We took part in a tour of a few locations in Nassau to learn more about how Royal Caribbean contributes and works with the Bahamian people and institutions.

Our tour started off with a catamaran ride in Nassau harbor, offering views of all five ships docked in Nassau today.

The first stop was the LJM Maritime Academy. LJM aims to be the leading maritime institution in the Caribbean region, producing seafarers and industry leaders. The academy has a three year Cadet Officers Training program, in which students obtain a Diploma in Nautical Science of Marine Engineering. Following the LJM academy, graduates work on ships around the world.

Royal Caribbean aspires to add more diversity to its bridge crew by training and hiring Bahamian officers and seafarers. They offer select scholarships to students who will work on a Royal Caribbean ship after graduation.

The academy has extensive training facilities for both traditional classroom material and hands-on simulation. One interesting facility was a simulation room of a bridge, in which students can train to sail in over twenty locations around the world, practicing maneuvering in and out of port and working with the equipment. Weather conditions can be modified as well, simulating a real life maritime experience for students.

Following the LJM Maritime Academy, we headed to the Bahamas Feeding Network, a nonprofit organization that distributes thousands of meals per week throughout Nassau. Royal Caribbean is a significant donor to the Bahamas Feeding Network.

In April of 2021, in fact, Royal Caribbean donated over $1.5 million worth of food to the nonprofit, enough for 2 million meals.

Our last stop on the tour was to John Watling’s Distillery. Here, we heard from Cherelle Cartwright, founder of Mamma Sassy’s Gourmet Foods. Cartwright’s pepper marinades were recently selected to be distributed on Royal Caribbean’s ships, following a tasting competition to ensure the best of the best would be sold onboard.

Royal Caribbean aims to include more products from small businesses in its onboard shops, and Mamma Sassy’s products will soon be available to purchase on ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.

Following lunch was a colorful performance by Junkanoo dancers. We then continued on a tour of John Watling’s Distillery, where we were able to dip our own bottle of rum in wax.

John Watling’s Distillery is a free activity to do in Nassau, with complimentary tours of the facility available as well. The property is beautiful, historic, and has green space where visitors can relax. A bar is located at John Watling’s, too, so visitors can order a signature cocktail while taking in views of Nassau.

As we arrived back at the port, a celebration was waiting for us. As this is the first time Wonder of the Seas has docked in Nassau, there was plenty of excitement for her arrival. Local vendors were set up on the pier and a Bahamian band played for a few hours.

Plenty of guests from Wonder of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas (docked next to us) were outside enjoying the party, and the band was fantastic!

Back onboard, I headed to Solarium Bistro for dinner. As usual, the Mediterranean-style buffet offerings were delicious, with the hummus, falafel, and breaded zucchini being the highlights.

I then went to the inTENse AquaTheater Showcase and it was undoubtedly intense! While the full show is not yet ready, the first fifteen minutes were performed by the all-female cast. There was so much happening on the stage, from a swinging basket to divers and an aerialist, that I found myself constantly wowed throughout the performance.

Because the full show is not ready, Royal Caribbean brought in two other performers to add to the showcase. First was a highliner whose tricks and skill walking on a slackline sixty feet in the air was truly jaw-dropping.

Next was a performance from Viktor Kee, a Ukrainian juggling extraordinaire. His performance and skill juggling up to five balls at once was absolutely unbelievable. I had never seen anything like it before and, like the rest of the show, I was completely blown away.

If you have a cruise booked on Wonder of the Seas, you definitely cannot miss inTENse.

Have you seen our full ship tour of Wonder of the Seas? Check it out on the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel:

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Stray Observations

Sailing on an inaugural cruise is definitely a different experience than a normal cruise, but I’ve enjoyed the increased celebrations throughout the week and excited energy from guests and crew onboard.

Solarium Bistro is an under appreciated dinner option on any Oasis or Quantum Class ship. It’s complimentary and, while served buffet style, offers a more formal atmosphere than the Windjammer.

The arrival of Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas heralds a point in time where the cruise industry is ready to move past the comeback phase.

"The Royal comeback is behind us. We are back. The world’s greatest vacation is back," is what Royal Caribbean International Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, told members of the media while onboard Wonder of the Seas this week.

Since June 2021, Royal Caribbean has been focused on getting its ships back up and running.  But with two new cruise ships launched in less than 6 months, the cruise line is ready to look forward to getting back to the sort of plans it had before the pandemic.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider oversees quite a few of these plans, including the line's private destinations, ship upgrades, and new builds.

With Wonder of the Seas in operation, Royal Caribbean has big plans for the next few years across the world.

While Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship is Icon of the Seas, there are plenty of other things coming down the pike, "We're working on Oasis six. We're working on the expansion of CocoCay with Hideaway Beach. We're working on our new Beach Club in Paradise Island and Nassau."

Those plans are projects the company has publicly commented on, but there's more on the horizon, "We're also imagining the far flung future as well, because as a brand, we're never going to stop innovating."

Icon of the Seas

Ever since Royal Caribbean announced it had plans to build a new class of cruise ship with the Icon Class, there has been very few details, but that may soon change.

Mr. Schneider indicated that the public will finally hear more about Icon of the Seas in the April or May timeframe, "We go to market on Icon in the next two months."

"Over the next two months, you'll hear us talk publicly about the size of the ship, the number of passengers, the neighborhoods."

That's right, Icon of the Seas will retain the neighborhood concept from the Oasis Class ships, but Mr. Schneider hinted that may be the only traditional aspect of the ship, as they intend to innovate beyond what the Oasis Class offered.

"Everything you'll see on icon will will be an evolution or revolution. And and we'll push forward again us being the at the top of the mantle on the ultimate family vacation."

Port projects

Besides new ships, Royal Caribbean is hard at work on a number of land-based initiatives. Here's what Mr. Schneider had to share for updates on each of these previously announced expansions.

Royal Beach Club in Nassau

"Moving forward, we are still in negotiation with the government on the full proposal.

"We've been going through our environmental impact assessment. We've posted as a result of that on our website, our various plans."

Freeport

"We continue to move forward with our port development in Freeport."

Royal Beach Club in Antigua

"We still have an ambition for a Royal Beach Club in Antigua."

"Right now, our priority is the Royal Beach Club and Paradise. First, we want to really get one live, understand it before we commit to the next Royal Beach Club."

Perfect Day at Lelepa

"It's still in our planning cycle. We are really waiting for the Pacific to reopen in a massive way."

"We, as an industry, are a challenged right now, with China closed and with a slow opening of Australia."

Hideaway Beach

"Hideaway Beach is under construction right now."

"There were a handful of decisions that we made during the pandemic to be smarter about that construction, specifically just the movement of some of the back of house functions."

"It's going to be an amazing adult space for about 2,000 guests opening, opening in... mid to late 2023."

Royal Amplifications

The pandemic caused a few Royal Caribbean cruise ships to miss their planned amplifications, but those plans are not totally gone.

Today is the fifth day on Wonder of the Seas and our second sea day. While I didn’t have any set plans for the day, I was looking forward to spending time relaxing onboard.

I started my morning at Central Park. This has quickly become one of my favorite areas on Wonder of the Seas for its peaceful atmosphere and open space.

I find I walk through the Royal Promenade much less on Oasis Class ships to get from one side to the other, instead choosing to walk through Central Park.

Lunch today was at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. As usual, many carbs were consumed and it was all delicious. I prefer the pizza menu to the pasta here, and the margherita pizza really hit the spot.

After lunch, I took a walk around Wonder of the Seas to explore more of the ship. I was surprised to see the World’s Sexiest Man Competition happening on the pool deck.

Many pool activities that draw crowds were suspended during the cruise restart due to Covid protocols, so it is exciting to see things getting back to normal. The competition was actually a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be, too, with men trying to impress women judges with their “sexy” dance moves.

I actually busted out laughing several times at just how ridiculous the performances were!

Next, I hung out at one of the hidden secrets on Wonder of the Seas, the seating areas on the running track. Like Central Park, this is one of my favorite places onboard to relax away from the crowds and take in dramatic ocean views. There is also a ping pong table and shuffleboard here for guests to enjoy.

Later in the afternoon, I walked to the Sports Deck to take in the sunset. I love the seating in the back of the sports deck, which gives great views of the ship’s wake, and I spent some time here relaxing before dinner.

Since I had to go from the Sports Deck back to my stateroom, I opted for a more thrilling adventure than taking the stairs: the Ultimate Abyss.

The Ultimate Abyss is one of my favorite signature activities onboard, and it’s even more fun than it looks. Needless to say, I got to the Boardwalk a whole lot quicker than if I had taken the elevator.

Dinner tonight brought us to 150 Central Park. I had never tried this specialty restaurant before, so was curious to try it out. 

150 Central Park has a limited menu, which I usually take as a good sign that all dishes have been well thought out and prepared.

I ordered the Roasted Spiced Pumpkin Bisque to start my meal. Rich, sweet, and savory all at once, it far exceeded my expectations.

For the main course, I tried the Cauliflower Steak and Pan-seared Halibut, and the fried cheesecake may be the best dessert I’ve tried on Royal Caribbean thus far.

What I like about 150 Central Park is that the menu consists of dishes I would not usually order. As an example, I would never think to place a roasted cauliflower over a bed of greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, and thyme, but the flavors all blended together perfectly.

As the restaurant focuses on elevated classic entrees and locally-sourced ingredients, it has some of the highest quality dishes I’ve tried on Royal Caribbean.

I ended the night by listening to live country music at The Mason Jar followed by acoustic guitar at the pub. Tomorrow we will be in Nassau.

Have you seen our full ship tour of Wonder of the Seas? Be sure to check it out on our YouTube channel to learn more about Wonder of the Seas:

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Stray Observations

With around 4,200 passengers onboard, this cruise feels more like a “real cruise” compared to the low capacity cruises I have been on since the restart.

While I thought having more passengers onboard would make me enjoy the experience less, I actually like the more lively atmosphere found throughout the ship.

My cabin is close to the elevators which makes getting to and from my stateroom a breeze.

On previous cruises, I always had to walk further from the stairs or elevators to my room, and it could be a pain when I had to quickly grab something. Plus, I do not hear much, if any, noise coming from the elevators and hallway.

For the first time ever, an Oasis Class cruise ship will offer regular 3- and 4-night cruises.

Royal Caribbean unveiled its 2023-2024 Short Caribbean cruises on Tuesday, and Allure of the Seas will begin offering short sailings in late 2023.

Traditionally, Oasis Class ships sail 7-night cruises.  These are the biggest cruise ships in the world, and by offering so much to see and do onboard, Royal Caribbean always sailed them on the longer sailings.

In recent years, Royal Caribbean has steadily improved the vessels offering weekend cruises from Florida, beginning with amplified Voyager Class ships, and more recently the slightly larger Freedom Class ships.

Allure of the Seas transitioning to short Caribbean voyages will open up a new enticing option to the getaway cruise market.

Allure of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida beginning on October 31, 2023 and alternate between 3- and 4-night cruises that visit Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The new short sailings run through at least April 15, 2024.

Allure of the Seas had been deployed to Galveston, Texas since late 2022, but Harmony of the Seas will take over so that Allure can move to Florida.

In an interview with Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, he indicated the idea of having short cruises on an Oasis Class ship is an exciting new plan, "We've loved our our three or four short program. It's been tremendously successful.

"We've never piloted that with an Oasis class ship before. So Allure of the Seas will be the first pilot of a three or four night short program."

Other short Caribbean sailings

In addition to the Allure change, Royal Caribbean released 7 other ship deployments.

Adventure of the Seas will sail from Galveston and offer 4-, 5- and 6-night Western Caribbean cruises.

Freedom of the Seas will continue to offer 3- and 4- night cruises from Miami that visit CocoCay & Nassau.

Grandeur of the Seas will also sail from Miami, and run primarily Southern Caribbean voyages that are as long as 12 nights in some cases. She will also offer 4- and 5- cruises to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

Independence of the Seas will sail 3-, 4-, and 5- night cruises from Miami to CocoCay & Nassau.

Liberty of the Seas will call Fort Lauderdale home, and offer 3-6 night cruises around the Caribbean and Bahamas.

Mariner of the Seas will also sail from Port Canaveral with more varied 4- and 5-night Caribbean cruises.

Radiance of the Seas will move from Vancouver, and initially offer one west coast cruise down to San Diego, before embarking on a Panama Canal cruise to Tampa, where she will sail 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises.

Next deployments

More cruises will be announced over the course of the next few weeks.

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule is as follows:

• Week of March 14: Los Angeles
• Week of March 28: Barbados & Panama
• Week of April 4: Australia
• Week of April 11: China
• Week of April 18: 7-night Caribbean
• Week of June 6: Singapore

Keep in mind that the deployment schedule is subject to change.

Planning on booking a 2023 cruise? These stories will help:

• 5 things to look for before you book a cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Should I take a short or a long cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find

Today is the fourth day of the inaugural voyage of Wonder of the Seas. I (Jenna) am taking over the live blog from Matt for the rest of the cruise, and I can’t wait to keep discovering both the ship and ports of call throughout the week.

I started my morning by finishing up our FULL ship tour of Wonder of the Seas. Have you seen it yet? Be sure to check it out on our YouTube channel for an in-depth tour and guide to the ship.

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Breakfast today was a highly anticipated event: brunch at The Mason Jar. I had enjoyed dinner at The Mason Jar earlier in the sailing, but the brunch menu was something I was definitely looking forward to trying.

Before eating, I attended a cocktail demonstration where we could learn more about the full list of new cocktails available at The Mason Jar.

There is an extensive selection of brand new cocktails available, from the Mississippi Moonlight to the PB&J Old Fashioned and Mint Julep. The menu also includes a few dessert cocktails, such as the All Shook-Up milkshake with peanut butter whiskey and banana cream rum, and ice cream and soda floats. Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic floats are available.

The brunch menu is split into savory and sweet options, and each meal starts with an appetizer of Jalapeño Cornbread and Pimento Cheese and Saltines.

My first thought as our brunch entrees were brought to the table was WOW! I ordered the Red Velvet Pancakes topped with cream cheese icing. Other members of the table ordered Meemaw’s Fried Chicken N’ Waffles and the Sweet-Tooth Cinnamon Roll.

I enjoyed my dinner at The Mason Jar, but as I am partial to loving breakfast food, brunch was certainly a highlight of my cruise so far.

I watched Wonder of the Seas sail into San Juan as I was touring the Suite Neighborhood. We arrived in Puerto Rico at 1PM and the ship was not leaving until 9PM. This was my first time experiencing an evening spent in port, so I was excited to explore the city during both day and night.

After catching up on work, we disembarked the ship around 4PM. As we headed down the pier, a Royal Caribbean Blog reader came up to us and told us we must try the pastries from the baker at the end of the pier. He sells homemade pastries from the back of his car, and the guava and cheese pastry was a great pick-me-up before exploring San Juan.

While I have been to San Juan before, I had never come here on a cruise, and I was pleased to find out how convenient it is as a cruise port. Wonder of the Seas was docked in the heart of Old San Juan, so the whole historic area is easily accessible by foot.

The breezy afternoon weather was perfect for walking around, and we spent some time strolling through the city’s colorful cobblestone streets.

As sunset drew near, we grabbed a drink and walked along the sidewalk heading to El Morro, a historic citadel at the edge of Old San Juan. El Morro is surrounded by spacious greenery, which makes for nice people watching.

We continued our walk along the Paseo de la Princesa, a waterfront boardwalk that borders the historic walls once used to protect the city.

As the sun set, we walked to La Factoría, a local restaurant and bar in Old San Juan. This unassuming venue located on a corner with no signage turned out to be a great choice for dinner and drinks.

The menu focuses more on small bites than big entrees, and we enjoyed fish tacos and almojábanas, a type of cheese bread found throughout Latin America.

It was nice to be able to spend an evening in port as opposed to on the ship. As this isn’t very common on cruise itineraries, I enjoyed having dinner at a local spot and walking through the city’s streets at night.

Back onboard, I went to the AquaTheater for the showcase of inTENse. This is the first AquaTheater show with an all-female cast. While the full show itself is not ready yet (the cast just got onboard a few weeks ago), a showcase is being performed this week with bits and pieces of the show.

As we left San Juan the seas were pretty choppy, so the showcase was shortened to a brief segment. What I saw, though, was spectacular, so I am excited to see the rest of the showcase later this week. Our show reservations were automatically switched to Thursday evening instead when we should encounter better weather.

I called it a night after the AquaTheater performance to get some rest for a full day at sea tomorrow.

Stray Observations

In the Royal Promenade today were some of the set pieces for Anchor Aweigh, a parade coming to the Royal Promenade. While the parade is not yet ready for this week, it looks like it will be an interesting thing to see on future sailings.

There have been surprises waiting in our cabins on every night of this sailing. Tonight was a plate of macarons and other small patisserie. 

Wonder of the Seas is filled with impressive new features and amenities, but Royal Caribbean also included a few things that are slightly different or even unique to this ship.

While the press releases will always highlight the big headline-grabbing features of a new ship, there are a few interesting anecdotes and tweaks Royal Caribbean has made with Wonder of the Seas.

While these may not be the "I can't believe they did that" type of changes, I thought these were interesting enough to share for someone that goes on Wonder of the Seas soon to know about.

Largest Windjammer at sea

The Windjammer is the epicenter of quick meals for many families, and Royal Caribbean designed the Windjammer to be the largest in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, said the Windjammer on Wonder has 1048 seats, 300 bigger than any other Windjammer.

They also added a "kidjammer" station at right height for kids so they can grab their own food.

This is significant not just because it's a very large Windjammer, but because traditionally the Windjammer on Oasis Class ships were not always that large.

In an effort to keep passengers separated and not too close in one area, the original Oasis Class ships purposefully not a massive Windjammer to promote the idea of going to alternative quick service food choices, such as Park Cafe, Mini Bites and others.

Cruise fans know what they want, and Royal Caribbean dedicated the most space yet to the Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas.

The female-only aqua show wasn't intentional

Royal Caribbean touts the fact its all-female AquaTheater show on Wonder of the Seas is a first, but this wasn't the plan from the start.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, shared at the start of the planning process for "InTENse", they simply were looking to find the most adventurous and thrill-seeking performers they could find.

As the auditions began, Mr. Weir's staff noticed all the people auditioning were female.  They then had the idea to embrace that fact and make it an all-female show.

Cafe Promenade serves Starbucks drinks, and soon the entire fleet will too

If you order a latte or macchiato at Cafe Promenade on Wonder of the Seas, you will get a Starbucks beverage and soon all the Cafe Promenade's in the fleet will too.

Mr. D'Souza said the licensing agreement with their supplier allows Royal Caribbean to offer Starbucks branded drinks at Cafe Promenade, but also continue offering Starbucks drinks at the kiosk.

While the Starbucks kiosk beverages are not included with any drink package, the Starbucks drinks at Cafe Promenade are included with a Royal Caribbean drink package.

Genies are the only crew members without name tags

So this is not a Wonder of the Seas-only feature, but I forgot about this fact and wanted to share it with you.

The Royal Genies are the exclusive perk for the top suite guests onboard Wonder of the Seas. Genies are kind of like a cross between a butler and wish maker, and they are shared between just a few cabins.

On Wonder of the Seas, there are 3 genies across 8 Star Class suites.

Genies don't wear a nametag while in public areas of the ship, because the cruise line doesn't want other guests asking them questions or otherwise taking time away from the families the genies are assigned to.

Wonder is first ship to bring back events cancelled due to Covid

Two major onboard events are coming back to Wonder of the Seas for the first time since Covid-19.

Laser tag is already up and running on Wonder of the Seas, and the Royal Promenade parade should ready by the second voyage.

The street parade has 98 people in cast.  The plan is to bring back parades to other ships systematically.

Both of these events were suspended due to Covid-19 social distancing concerns up until now.

First ship to have a country band onboard

If you prefer Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryant, or Garth Brooks, Wonder of the Seas is for you.

At the Mason Jar restaurant, there is a bar area that features a country music band trio that performs most nights.

While Royal Caribbean has always been a major proponent of live music on its ships, country music was usually not in the repertoire.

Wonder of the Seas has its first VIP high roller casino area

Wonder of the Seas was designed with a high roller casino area in lieu of a jazz club to appeal to the Asian cruise market. When Royal Caribbean changed plans to keep Wonder of the Seas in the United States, they decided to keep the VIP room.

Cruise line executives I spoke with admitted they weren't sure whether or not the concept will be a hit with Americans, but it seemed worth a try.

If you are worried about missing out on jazz music, Royal Caribbean still offers live jazz music in both Central Park and the Music Hall.

There's been a few milestones on the return of cruising, and Labadee is one of the most recent of those.

Royal Caribbean resumed visits to Labadee a few weeks ago, and today Wonder of the Seas visited Royal Caribbean's private destination.

We docked early in the morning and I walked off the ship to get a full day.

The first thing I noticed were little tweaks to Labadee that Royal Caribbean has made, such as adding more umbrellas, and repainting a number of buildings with brighter colors.

Royal Caribbean told me they also re-worked the flow of the arrivals area to eliminate the security building near the entrance (it's now a towel station), as well as fixing the irrigation of the area to prevent flooding when it rains a lot.

Walking around Labadee, things looked more similar than not, and it all looked beautiful.

While Labadee lacks the sheer variety of things to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's still a really fun and relaxing beach day.

I had rented a Nellie's Beach over the water cabana for the day. We had cabana number 3 on the hill to the right of the beach.

Royal Caribbean had upgraded its cabanas at Labadee. I heard some of the Barefoot Beach cabanas were brand new. Our cabanas had new furniture inside.

The cabana was lovely, and I love getting one whenever I visit to have shade and a "home base of operations" while there.

Lunch has not changed much and it gives me a better appreciation for the elevated lunch you get at CocoCay.

Something special for the media onboard was Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, managed to get some local food from the Haitians living nearby to sample. I love trying local cuisine!

In the afternoon, I was able to try out something brand new to me: the alpine coaster.

The Dragon's Tail Coaster has been at Labadee for years, but I hadn't gotten around to trying it.

Royal Caribbean sells one ride and all day passes. 

You watch a short video to understand how the braking works, and then it's into your car and up the mountain.

The views alone are worth the ride, but of course it's a really fast-paced ride down too. I admit I rode the brake down more than I thought, but it was exhilarating.

Overall, I loved our visit to Labadee, and it felt good to be back after so long.

We got back onboard in the mid afternoon, and if you hadn't heard, there was a sprinkler system malfunction on the Royal Promenade. It happened while I was in Labadee, but the video quickly spread on social media.

The good news is by the time I got back onboard, it was all cleaned up and you would not have known anything had happened. It's a credit to the hard working crew members who quickly swooped in to take care of it.

In fact, the country music trio from the Mason Jar performed on the Promenade.

As afternoon turned into evening it was time to get ready for dinner.

Our dinner plans brought us back to Izumi, but this time for sushi.

Izumi Master Chef Travis Kamiyama hosted us and provided some special sushi dishes in addition to what's on the menu. It was a tremendous sampling.

I love going to Izumi for either sushi or teppanyaki, and today's meal did not disappoint.

We wrapped up our evening with drinks at The Mason Jar.

Tomorrow we will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Stray Observations

The stowaway piano player is back in elevators again.

I ran into Ben, David & Stef from YouTube!

I ran into Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, and asked him about shows returning to other ships across the fleet, such as Grease and Columbus the Musical.

He said it's moving, but it takes a while to get shows back up and going again as it is no simple process to prepare casts and get them ready to perform.

He said it will be a process throughout this year for all the productions across the fleet to make a full return.

Our first full day on Wonder of the Seas is a sea day, and that is the perfect opportunity to explore more of the ship after the first day.

I started off my morning with coffee and breakfast at Park Cafe. I really like Park Cafe for an alternative breakfast spot for how easy and quick it is.

I spent the morning taking it easy after a busy day yesterday, but it was nice to spend some time enjoying the warm Caribbean breeze.

I walked up to the Royal Promenade to walk around and noticed a new change to the Cafe Promenade menu. Starbucks is now served at Cafe Promenade in addition to the free standing kiosk.

Unlike the kiosk, the Starbucks drinks at Cafe Promenade are included with a drink package. 

For lunch, we booked up a few tables at Giovanni's Italian Kitchen for the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders who were onboard.

I loved Giovanni's on Odyssey and Freedom, so this seemed like a great spot for a group meal.

We had a group of over 30 friends onboard, and the food did not disappoint. 

After lunch, I headed back to my cabin for a little bit to relax. 

Something Royal Caribbean brought back on this sailing is laser tag.

I walked by and noticed it was open for anyone to hop in. I was wearing flip flops, or I would have tried it out myself!

Later in the afternoon, I took a visit down to Casino Royale. The casino has a different look than other ships, and is quite large as well.

I started out in the Golden Room, which is a high roller area, although right now it's open to all.

Royal Caribbean said the Golden Room is an idea to try out in the western market to see how well it resonates. For now, it's open to all and I appreciated the fact it was non-smoking.

Tonight was formal night, so it was back to the room to get ready.

Dinner brought us to Izumi hibachi, which I absolutely love going to every cruise.

Our chef, Roy, put on a great show and suffice to say, I did not leave hungry.

After dinner, I went to Wonderland bar to try out some of the specialty drinks.

One interesting change about Wonderland is there is more decor outside the restaurant, even extending into the elevator lobby.

I like the Wonderland has a bar you can go to without sitting down for a meal.

Tomorrow will be our first port of call, Labadee.

Stray Observations

In my cabin, there was Mason Jar swag waiting.

Welcome to March! We hope you are having a great weekend and are ready to sit back, relax and catch up with all the latest Royal Caribbean news!

Wonder of the Seas is finally here and welcoming passengers onboard!

The biggest cruise ship in the world departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Friday to start a 7-night cruise, and the ship's inaugural season.

The ship is packed with new features and activities, such as a new southern American restaurant, shows across its venues, redesigned pool deck, expansive suite area and more.

Matt is live blogging from Wonder of the Seas this week!

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean CEO pledges support for Ukrainian crew members
• Royal Caribbean canceled summer cruise ship visits to Russia
• Royal Caribbean releases more Caribbean cruises to book in 2023-2024
• Updates on Ukrainian crew members, Pinnacle Lounge access and more.
• First look at Mason Jar southern restaurant menu
• There's still time to book a cruise add-on during Royal Caribbean's cruise planner sale
• All about Radiance Class cruise ships
• All about Voyager Class cruise ships

New RCB Video: Cruise mistakes I've made!

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Cruise mistakes I've made! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 444th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available with a preview of Matt's Wonder of the Seas cruise.

Matt is sailing on Wonder of the Seas' first two sailings, and provides an overview of what he has planned and what he's excited to try onboard.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Best things to do in Nassau on a cruise

While many cruises visit Nassau, Bahamas, it remains a bit of a tough port to plan on what to do.

Many cruise passengers skip Nassau altogether and stay on the ship, believing that there is nothing worth seeing, but that couldn't further from the truth.

Whether you’re looking for a beach day, hoping to try local foods, or learn about Bahamian history and culture, there are plenty of exciting activities to choose from in Nassau.

Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Have you been wondering how food works on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship?

Buffets, restaurants, room service, and more await you on a cruise, so what's included and what costs extra? What is dinner like and what should you know about each of the types of restaurants?

Check out our in-depth guide to food on a Royal Caribbean cruise for insight into what to expect.